Last Poster #6

[_Simon_]

40 lbs of green beans?? What did you buy? I usually buy about 15 lbs or so, and that lasts me a while.

Haha yeah I may have gone overboard! Had some vouchers to use and free shipping always gets me excited! Go through maybe a kilo a month, so thinking of green bean lifespan should be okay hopefully.

And luckily on my Behmor it was only the top heat element that needed replacing, big relief it wasn't the side printed circuit board, which apparently is bit tricky to change. Will still change over the bottom element.

I ordered :



2kg BURUNDI Gihere Kobero (washed)
Cupping Notes:
Juicy and sweet with notes of milk chocolate and distinctive citrus and white peach flavours.

3kg COLOMBIA Pink Bourbon (Double Fermentation)
Cupping Notes:
Delicate and fleeting flavours of Oolong tea, chamomile, green tea, citrus, fudge, vanilla pod and white flowers. This is a delicate and distinguished cup.

3kg COLOMBIA Piedras De Afiliar micro lot (honey)
Cupping Notes:
Malt and berries on the nose. Flavours come in waves of caramel, chocolate, spices, cranberry and tropical flowers.
SCA: 87

3kg ETHIOPIA Yirgacheffe Hafursa (natural)
Cupping notes:
Distinctive floral aromas, juicy cup, orange and tropical fruit, apricots and lavender.

2kg COLOMBIA El Mirador (washed)
Fragrance of flowers and sugar cane, followed by flavours of berry, melon orange and tropical fruit, green apples (SCA 87)

1kg GUATEMALA Antigua 'Los Volcanos' SHB 'Pastores' (washed)
Citrus, Fruits, Bright Acidity.
As an espresso, this medium body Antigua brings a nice balance of fruit, chocolate and zesty acidity with a velvety and viscous mouthfeel. As a drip filter, you will get apple and a hint of red berry, semi-sweet chocolate and almonds.

2kg INDIAN Monsooned Malabar AA
Roasted Apples, Complex Strong Body, Dark Caramel.
It is great for those who like strong, deep musty tobacco, almonds and peanut flavours.
As an espresso it has very low acidity, which produces extremely thick, rich and full cup. The flavor is sweet and intense providing one of the longest finish of any bean.

2kg BRAZIL Caldas Royale (natural)
Milk Chocolate, Hazelnut Cream, Syrupy Caramelised Plum.


And a mystery bag with 4x200g of different green bean samples to try.

Okayyy... so I ordered 18.8kg XD

 

[granfire]

can you freeze the beans, or does that alter the roastability?

 

[Steve]

can you freeze the beans, or does that alter the roastability?

@_Simon_ is way more into this than me, but the rule of thumb I've heard is that the green beans should be roasted within about 6 months of being processed. So, generally, I get about 10 to 15 lbs at a time and that lasts about 2 months.

Also relevant is that 16 oz of green beans translates to about 12 oz of roasted coffee (give or take). So, if you usually go through about 4 lbs of coffee per month, you're really looking at using about 5 lbs of green coffee.

 

[Buka]

Haha yeah I may have gone overboard! Had some vouchers to use and free shipping always gets me excited! Go through maybe a kilo a month, so thinking of green bean lifespan should be okay hopefully.

And luckily on my Behmor it was only the top heat element that needed replacing, big relief it wasn't the side printed circuit board, which apparently is bit tricky to change. Will still change over the bottom element.

I ordered :



2kg BURUNDI Gihere Kobero (washed)
Cupping Notes:
Juicy and sweet with notes of milk chocolate and distinctive citrus and white peach flavours.

3kg COLOMBIA Pink Bourbon (Double Fermentation)
Cupping Notes:
Delicate and fleeting flavours of Oolong tea, chamomile, green tea, citrus, fudge, vanilla pod and white flowers. This is a delicate and distinguished cup.

3kg COLOMBIA Piedras De Afiliar micro lot (honey)
Cupping Notes:
Malt and berries on the nose. Flavours come in waves of caramel, chocolate, spices, cranberry and tropical flowers.
SCA: 87

3kg ETHIOPIA Yirgacheffe Hafursa (natural)
Cupping notes:
Distinctive floral aromas, juicy cup, orange and tropical fruit, apricots and lavender.

2kg COLOMBIA El Mirador (washed)
Fragrance of flowers and sugar cane, followed by flavours of berry, melon orange and tropical fruit, green apples (SCA 87)

1kg GUATEMALA Antigua 'Los Volcanos' SHB 'Pastores' (washed)
Citrus, Fruits, Bright Acidity.
As an espresso, this medium body Antigua brings a nice balance of fruit, chocolate and zesty acidity with a velvety and viscous mouthfeel. As a drip filter, you will get apple and a hint of red berry, semi-sweet chocolate and almonds.

2kg INDIAN Monsooned Malabar AA
Roasted Apples, Complex Strong Body, Dark Caramel.
It is great for those who like strong, deep musty tobacco, almonds and peanut flavours.
As an espresso it has very low acidity, which produces extremely thick, rich and full cup. The flavor is sweet and intense providing one of the longest finish of any bean.

2kg BRAZIL Caldas Royale (natural)
Milk Chocolate, Hazelnut Cream, Syrupy Caramelised Plum.


And a mystery bag with 4x200g of different green bean samples to try.

Okayyy... so I ordered 18.8kg XD

Simon be da man!

 

[_Simon_]

can you freeze the beans, or does that alter the roastability?

It's a bit of a controversial topic, there are definitely more studies and experiments done in freezing green beans, and some have done it successfully, BUT the conditions have to be juuuust right, and you really have to maintain a stable environment. Can't be opening and closing the door constantly, stable temp etc, so a whole separate freezer that's really top notch is needed.

It's a great idea and it has worked for some but I won't risk it . Stored in a dark, cool, dry, stable temp environment is best.

There's a general rule of thumb called the rule of 3s hehe, green beans stored well last about 3 years, roasted beans 3 weeks, ground coffee lasts 3 minutes (some say 3 seconds to really emphasise that point to freshly grind your coffee haha). Not set in stone, give or take a bit, but it's a general guide, so I should be fine with my green beans.

 

[_Simon_]

@_Simon_ is way more into this than me, but the rule of thumb I've heard is that the green beans should be roasted within about 6 months of being processed. So, generally, I get about 10 to 15 lbs at a time and that lasts about 2 months.

Also relevant is that 16 oz of green beans translates to about 12 oz of roasted coffee (give or take). So, if you usually go through about 4 lbs of coffee per month, you're really looking at using about 5 lbs of green coffee.

Yeah for sure, it definitely varies, and I'm sure the particular species and varietal of coffee as well as processing method probably all make a difference. I've heard of some people roasting green beans 5 years old and it's barely lost any depth of flavour, and others a year later and it's really dropped.

I am excited about the Indian Monsoon Malabar beans, I've NEVER tried them and they're such a different experience from what I've heard. People either love em or hate em. And apparently it's best to wait 2 full weeks or more after roasting them before they've settled down and they're actually any good. You ever tried any of these Steve?

 

[Steve]

Yeah for sure, it definitely varies, and I'm sure the particular species and varietal of coffee as well as processing method probably all make a difference. I've heard of some people roasting green beans 5 years old and it's barely lost any depth of flavour, and others a year later and it's really dropped.

I am excited about the Indian Monsoon Malabar beans, I've NEVER tried them and they're such a different experience from what I've heard. People either love em or hate em. And apparently it's best to wait 2 full weeks or more after roasting them before they've settled down and they're actually any good. You ever tried any of these Steve?

I have tried the Malabar gold espresso blend from sweet Maria's. I liked it, though I'm not a huge fan of the robusta beans.

 

[Steve]

Yeah for sure, it definitely varies, and I'm sure the particular species and varietal of coffee as well as processing method probably all make a difference. I've heard of some people roasting green beans 5 years old and it's barely lost any depth of flavour, and others a year later and it's really dropped.

I am excited about the Indian Monsoon Malabar beans, I've NEVER tried them and they're such a different experience from what I've heard. People either love em or hate em. And apparently it's best to wait 2 full weeks or more after roasting them before they've settled down and they're actually any good. You ever tried any of these Steve?

What I've been drinking recently is a blend of four different single origin beans that I like:

Brazil Dry Process Sitio Cocho Velhi - 40%
Yemen Mokha Matari - 10%
El Salvador Finca Matalape Lote Combrita - 25%
Flores Tangkul Village (Indonesian) - 25%

I roast the Brazil and Yemen together and then the other two together, and mix them at the end. I like it for espresso.

 

[Steve]

Anyone else like fried bologna sandwiches? Just made some for lunch, and they were delicious.

 

[Buka]

Anyone else like fried bologna sandwiches? Just made some for lunch, and they were delicious.

Man, I haven't had one of those in a long while. But you can bet I'll remedy that right soon.

 

[Buka]

I'm bummed. My niece was supposed to get married in May but it was postponed for a year because of the pandemic. They'll have the wedding ceremony next summer if the pandemic allows. But she was married in a private ceremony this past weekend.

And I couldn't be there because I can't take the chance of flying twelve hours because of this damn Covid thing. Damn.

 

[Steve]

Man, I haven't had one of those in a long while. But you can bet I'll remedy that right soon.

I like a fried bologna on grilled white bread with dill pickles, american cheese, and a little mustard and mayo. Ruffles or Fritos on the side.

 

[Steve]

I'm bummed. My niece was supposed to get married in May but it was postponed for a year because of the pandemic. They'll have the wedding ceremony next summer if the pandemic allows. But she was married in a private ceremony this past weekend.

And I couldn't be there because I can't take the chance of flying twelve hours because of this damn Covid thing. Damn.

That stinks.

 

[Buka]

I like a fried bologna on grilled white bread with dill pickles, american cheese, and a little mustard and mayo. Ruffles or Fritos on the side.

My mouth waters as I read.

Between reading and here and watching the food network I'm lucky not to have put on weight. But that fried baloney just might do it.

 

[dvcochran]

Man, I haven't had one of those in a long while. But you can bet I'll remedy that right soon.

Is it true that Spam is hugely popular on the islands? I have always wondered that. Love me some fried Spam. God only knows what it is made of.

 

[_Simon_]

I have tried the Malabar gold espresso blend from sweet Maria's. I liked it, though I'm not a huge fan of the robusta beans.

Ah nice, yeah robusta can be hit and miss... alot of people I know simply add a very small percentage of Robusta to their blends (like 5-10%), to bolster up the body and intensity of a blend. On it's own I'd love to try it haha.

Just received one of my green bean orders today, and they lovingly added 500g of already roasted Indian Monsooned on the house!! Was so touched, they've been incredibly helpful with their deals to our state specifically due to our part of the country struggling badly right now.

That'll be a great baseline reference point as I have no idea how to roast these or what flavours to look for haha.

 

[_Simon_]

What I've been drinking recently is a blend of four different single origin beans that I like:

Brazil Dry Process Sitio Cocho Velhi - 40%
Yemen Mokha Matari - 10%
El Salvador Finca Matalape Lote Combrita - 25%
Flores Tangkul Village (Indonesian) - 25%

I roast the Brazil and Yemen together and then the other two together, and mix them at the end. I like it for espresso.

Oh beauty... that sounds like an interesting blend!

Have had a Brazil Sitio natural before very nice... and wow dunno how you scored a Yemen.. apparently it's been pretty rough there and hard to get beans out of there..

Yeah pre-blending or post-blending is an interesting topic. Me, I've never roasted specifically for a blend, only single origins haha. Have never explored blends. One day

 

[_Simon_]

I'm bummed. My niece was supposed to get married in May but it was postponed for a year because of the pandemic. They'll have the wedding ceremony next summer if the pandemic allows. But she was married in a private ceremony this past weekend.

And I couldn't be there because I can't take the chance of flying twelve hours because of this damn Covid thing. Damn.

Sorry to hear man, that's a bummer

 

[Buka]

Is it true that Spam is hugely popular on the islands? I have always wondered that. Love me some fried Spam. God only knows what it is made of.

Growing up, I worked in a little local store that my buddy’s family owned. My whole neighborhood worked there through high school and college. Perfectly located, it was a gold mine. And a whole lot of fun.

There was one can of Spam on one of the shelves. It was there for ten years. Nobody ever bought it.

We used to joke that Spam stood for “specially processed artificial meat”

When I first lived here my buddy fried me up some eggs and spam. It was actually quite tasty.

I believe the state of Hawaii consumes more Spam than the rest of the states combined. At least it used to. Not sure if the figures are still applicable.

Me, I prefer bacon. Or fried baloney, which I’m going to have tomorrow for the first time in ten years.
Yeah, baby!

 

[Steve]

Oh beauty... that sounds like an interesting blend!

Have had a Brazil Sitio natural before very nice... and wow dunno how you scored a Yemen.. apparently it's been pretty rough there and hard to get beans out of there..

Yeah pre-blending or post-blending is an interesting topic. Me, I've never roasted specifically for a blend, only single origins haha. Have never explored blends. One day

Just dipping my toes into blending coffee, and got a rough sense of ratios from an online coffee site. It seems solid, though and makes a nice espresso.

Regarding the Yemen coffee, I order pretty much all of my coffee from either Sweet Maria's or The Coffee Project, both physically in the San Francisco area (I think). I just checked and Sweet Maria's has the Yemen Mokha Matari and the Yemen Mokha Harasi in stock.

As for the pre-blending or post-blending, it's driven a bit by the roaster. I use a behmor, and in order to roast most coffees to second crack, I can only roast about 8 oz at a time. So, it's easy to just split the four coffee beans into two different batches.